My first Welding project, a welding bench

[trunk monkey]

I found a 3' X 8' X 1 1/4 plate, for $300. I picked up 4 X 4 X 3/16 tube, 2 X 4 X3/16 tube, 2 X 2 X 3/16 angle, 1/8" sheet steel for the shelf. I added 1,200 Lb. casters. I milled the 4X4's to accomidate the full length 2 X 4 so every thing is tied togerther. Everyone teases me about building a battle ship on it. But I will tell you guys this, i can beat the hell out of what ever I want to and it dosn't bounce, or rattle. I have two more builds, a Log splitter, and a Pig Roaster.

 

[MarshallGirvin]

Woooow. That thing is sweet!!!! I want one! How much did you end up spending on the whole thing?

 

[BlindViper]

First off you **** for the cost of that plate. I cant find anything around here half that thickness for that price

 

[trunk monkey]

I got the plate off a guy in my local area, he had it listed on Craigs list. The rest of the steel is new. I think the total of everything with Wilton Vise, I have close to $800. The casters were almost $30 each. I wanted a nice locking caster but OH MY GOD are they expensive.

I am pleased over all. The cost of that plate new was $900. The only thing I wished I was able to do, was send it out to be ground and heat treated. But all the same I am pleased, It does **** to move around...lol

 

[Professur]

I agree ... you ****.

 

[arkangel06]

dude that plate was cheeeeep.

You ****!

 

[babzog]

That is a VERY nice looking table... love the corners and how it's all tied together. Can't build it too strong. Nice job!

 

[rsanter]

damm nice table
I want it

bob

 

[gorilla]

That table is a real nice job, I love the corner joints. I have a piece of 1 1/4" aluminum mic 6 plate 36"x60" that's going to be my next welding table. I.m going to steal your corner joint idea for it.

 

[babzog]

One question: Did you weld the box frame together before slipping the corners on? Or did you assemble it all, then weld the visible joints?

 

[trunk monkey]

One question: Did you weld the box frame together before slipping the corners on? Or did you assemble it all, then weld the visible joints?

I wasn't sure how to tackle it at first. The floors in my shop are not very flat, well I should say not condusive for fab work. I built one side at a time, tack welding, useing a magnetic welding square & frameing square. I welded every visable joint I could get the tip of my torch in, once I flipped it up on its legs.

 

[PurdueSD]

WOW, darn nice table you've put together. Makes mine feel so inadequate.

You could park a semi on that thing. What type of stuff do you work on? Did you seriously need it to hold 10s of thousands of pounds or did you just overbuild it cause that's what we garage guys do... hah

 

[trunk monkey]

I am a Diesel mechanic, so I figured if I ever needed a bench to put a Series 60 Detroit on, it would hold it....LOL. But ya I did kind of overbuild, but for the price, I couldn't beat it.

 

[kidatari]

Damn nice table, all you need is a better vise. Trust me, I know -- I have that exact same vise. Don't hammer on it, it'll chip pretty easily.

Good job!

 

[Jack Olsen]

Are you able to roll it on the casters? They look to be a pretty big diameter, but that looks like a heavy table.

You got a smoking deal on that steel for the top.

 

[A_Pmech]

You're too big to be the Trunk Monkey!




















Nice work on the table! I like the notching of the legs, that's a great idea.

 

[mjozefow]

Damn nice table, all you need is a better vise. Trust me, I know -- I have that exact same vise. Don't hammer on it, it'll chip pretty easily.

Good job!

+1. Get a nice Reed or something.

 

[z28snksknr]

That is an awesome table. I will be stealing some of the design for my own.

 

[trunk monkey]

Damn nice table, all you need is a better vise. Trust me, I know -- I have that exact same vise. Don't hammer on it, it'll chip pretty easily.

Good job!

I don't intend to use the anvil on the vise. I have several 4" cubed solid chunks of steel. I also have several 3 to 5" pieces of solid round bar stock. For curving.

Are you able to roll it on the casters? They look to be a pretty big diameter, but that looks like a heavy table.



You got a smoking deal on that steel for the top.

Yup once it gets to rolling, it moves just fine.

You're too big to be the Trunk Monkey!

How about Trunk Golilla?




















Nice work on the table! I like the notching of the legs, that's a great idea.

+1. Get a nice Reed or something.

I would love to have a better quality vise but as of now all I can afford is this Wilton from Lowes. I know it's made in China, but the wife would have my sack if I spent $500 on a vise right now.

 

[GarageEnvy]

Let me just say that I'm glad we're not comparing first welding projects. I would really feel inadequate showing my first compared to this one. That design looks good.

 

[mjozefow]

I would love to have a better quality vise but as of now all I can afford is this Wilton from Lowes. I know it's made in China, but the wife would have my sack if I spent $500 on a vise right now.

Hey man, no offense meant. I started with a vise from Farm & Fleet , and when it broke I upgraded. Just watch CL and such and you will find a nice vise. Just don't hit it with a torch or weld directly on it, and it will last a LONG time.

 

[trunk monkey]

Hey man, no offense meant. I started with a vise from Farm & Fleet , and when it broke I upgraded. Just watch CL and such and you will find a nice vise. Just don't hit it with a torch or weld directly on it, and it will last a LONG time.

No Offence taken bro. I was a Snap-On dealer for a while, I know exactly what you are saying. When I saw "Wilton" at Lowes I was surprised, then I saw the price, I thaught holly **** they mispriced it. So I snatched one up. After getting home I noticed made in China under Wilton specs. That was when I realized I got what I paid for I am going to make this one work untill I destroy it . Then i will have an excuse to go better

 

[ng8264723]

Look for an old charles parker vise. You can't beat them! No matter how much you try. You can usually find them around even on Ebay for fairly cheap

 

[ironheadtom]

Great table! Smoking deal on the plate. I like the way you notched the legs, and the work looks real clean.

 

[mjozefow]

Look for an old charles parker vise. You can't beat them! No matter how much you try. You can usually find them around even on Ebay for fairly cheap

Don't beat on a Parker! I love those things! Take care of them and use them as they were intended. I see far too many Parkers (and other great vintage vises) that are beaten to the point were they are useful for little more than boat anchors. Makes me sad.

They are a great choice for a vise if you happen upon one.

 

[arkangel06]

Forgot to mention great fab skills!

 

[trunk monkey]

Forgot to mention great fab skills!

Thank You

 

[Brad54]

Nice table!

I've got a 3x5 sheet of 1/2-inch plate I picked up for $140, and it's going to be my table.

I'm going to go with heavy C-channel for the frame out of simplicity, and I think it'll be cheaper, too.

I'm curious why you have it on casters to move. Do you tuck it away for storage, or just roll it around the shop? I have four heavy-duty "machine leveling feet" that I'm going to put under mine to keep it from ringing on the concrete and destroying my floor, but once I get it in place, it'll be the center of my work area and I won't move it around.

-Brad

 

[trunk monkey]

I put it on casters to move it around my shop. If I have a larg and heavy piece of work, I move it out to the center of my shop. Otherwise I have it up against the wall. Like right now I have a 550Lb wood burning stove on it. I picked the stove up and found it needed some work. In stead of trying to slide the stove around on the table I can just walk around it. Plus I don't have my gantry crane in yet, so I can move the bench to my truck and that helps with loading. I made sure I mounted my vise on the end with the non-swivleing casters.

 

[WOOS1]

Sweet build! How did you attach the top, or is it floating? I finally picked up a 4' X 8' X 3/4 piece of unused plate for $80. Has a 20" x 20" cutout so I'm trying to figure out the size I want to build. Would you have gone with a different size if the plate allowed, or was that your choice? Also, ditto on Craigslist for good vices. I currently have three Wiltons that are new I picked up off of there that are brand new. One machinist (paid $225 in the box)and two matching mechanics (paid $200 for the pair - not China). Good deals keep me broke.....

 

[nolatoolguy]

Nice work.

 

[shocksystems]

Sweet build! How did you attach the top, or is it floating?

I second both the comment above and the question. Great work.

Cheers!

Jim

 

[trunk monkey]

Sweet build! How did you attach the top, or is it floating? I finally picked up a 4' X 8' X 3/4 piece of unused plate for $80. Has a 20" x 20" cutout so I'm trying to figure out the size I want to build. Would you have gone with a different size if the plate allowed, or was that your choice? Also, ditto on Craigslist for good vices. I currently have three Wiltons that are new I picked up off of there that are brand new. One machinist (paid $225 in the box)and two matching mechanics (paid $200 for the pair - not China). Good deals keep me broke.....

I second both the comment above and the question. Great work.

Cheers!

Jim

I used a rose bud and heated the plate. Then I turned up the heat on my mig and just welded it to the frame. I don't know if that was the proper way of doing things, but it worked. It took a **** load of gas to heat the plate in the areas I wanted. Don't get me wrong, I didn't turn it cherry, just got it up to around 100 degrees.

As far as the size goes. I am very happy with it so far. I have been able to build several large things on it. But still have room for tools and other ****. The shelf under the bench is awesome. I have alot of scrap pieces, and some 5, 6, & 8 foot pieces of different steel on it. It stays out of the way and is pretty easy to see and grab what I need. In the beginning I was looking for 3/4 to 1" plate. I just got lucky to find this plate already cut to the size I wanted, and hell, if 1" is good 1 1/4" must be better. I have found the few people (mostly friends) that critisize me about the size of the table, are just jelous of it. Make your bench as big as you can for the space you have. You will not be unhappy you did.

 

[R6 Racer]

Is the plate cold rolled or hot rolled?
I'm not even sure if those terms are right so feel free to correct me.
I understand hot rolled is way cheaper... ?

Steve

 

[nate379]

Yeah no joke! Mine was welding some tabs on a piece of 1/2" bar stock for a wood push cart when I was around 9 or 10.

Let me just say that I'm glad we're not comparing first welding projects. I would really feel inadequate showing my first compared to this one. That design looks good.

 

[vvk645]

I bought the same Wilton but the one I got was on their clearance rack because it had a couple of scrapes on it...

No Offence taken bro. I was a Snap-On dealer for a while, I know exactly what you are saying. When I saw "Wilton" at Lowes I was surprised, then I saw the price, I thaught holly **** they mispriced it. So I snatched one up. After getting home I noticed made in China under Wilton specs. That was when I realized I got what I paid for I am going to make this one work untill I destroy it . Then i will have an excuse to go better

 

[trunk monkey]

Is the plate cold rolled or hot rolled?
I'm not even sure if those terms are right so feel free to correct me.
I understand hot rolled is way cheaper... ?

Steve

Honestly I don't know if it is hot or cold rolled. The guy I got it from was useing it as a bench as well. It had some round tude legs that were cut off when I picked it up. There was a **** load of goobered weld under it. I went to work on it with my DeWalt 4" grinder. I quickly trashed a barring in it, I had that grinder for a long time. So I bit the bullet and bought a 4" Matabo. OMG! that thing is awesome. I can't believe the power it has. I will be getting a bigger one some day soon.